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      "title": "Obscenity and Indecency: Constitutional\u00a0Principles and Federal Statutes",
      "summary": "The First Amendment provides: \u201cCongress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.\u201d In general, the First Amendment protects pornography, with this term being used to mean any erotic material. The Supreme Court, however, has held that the First Amendment does not protect two types of pornography: obscenity and child pornography. Consequently, they may be banned on the basis of their content, and federal law prohibits the mailing of obscenity, as well as its transport or receipt in interstate or foreign commerce.\nMost pornography is not legally obscene; to be obscene, pornography must, at a minimum, \u201cdepict or describe patently offensive \u2018hard core\u2019 sexual conduct.\u201d The Supreme Court has created a three-part test, known as the Miller test, to determine whether a work is obscene. Pornography that is not obscene may not be banned, but may be regulated as to the time, place, and manner of its distribution, particularly in order to keep it from children. Thus, the courts have upheld the zoning and licensing of pornography dealers, as well as restrictions on dial-a-porn, nude dancing, and indecent radio and television broadcasting.\nFederal statutes, in addition to making it a crime to mail obscenity or to transport or receive it in interstate or foreign commerce, provide for criminal and civil forfeiture of real and personal property used in making obscenity pornography, and of the profits of obscenity\u2014in some instances even when they were already used to pay a third party. In addition, obscenity crimes are included among the predicate offenses that may give rise to a violation of the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).\nThe Internet has given rise to three federal statutes designed to protect minors from sexual material posted on it. The Communications Decency Act of 1996 makes it a crime knowingly to use a telecommunications device (telephone, fax, or e-mail) to make an obscene or indecent communication to a minor, or knowingly to use an interactive computer service to transmit an obscene communication to anyone or an indecent communication to a minor. In 1997, however, the Supreme Court held the inclusion of \u201cindecent\u201d communications in this statute unconstitutional. In 1998, Congress, in response, enacted the less-broad Child Online Protection Act (COPA), but it was also held unconstitutional and never took effect. Finally, the Children\u2019s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), enacted in 2000, requires schools and libraries that accept federal funds to purchase computers or Internet access to block or filter obscenity, child pornography, and, with respect to minors, material that is \u201charmful to minors.\u201d Filters may be disabled, however, \u201cfor bona fide research or other lawful purpose.\u201d In 2003, the Supreme Court held CIPA constitutional.",
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      "summary": "his report examines federal law regarding obscenity and indecency. The First Amendment provides: \u201cCongress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.\u201d In general, the First Amendment protects pornography, with this term being used to mean any erotic material. The Supreme  Court, however, has held that the First Amendment does not protect two types of pornography: obscenity and child pornography. Consequently, they may be banned on the basis of their content, and federal law prohibits the mailing of obscenity, as well as its transport or receipt in interstate or foreign commerce.",
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